The School of Nursing recently received a $1.6 million grant that will finance a workforce for nursing students pursuing their doctoral degree in the psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner (PHMNP) specialty track.

Students who commit to the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Training program will each receive a cash stipend totaling $28,352 to help mitigate personal expenses incurred while in graduate school, said Grant Principal Investigator Melissa Garno, Ed.D.

The stipend will be split into 10 monthly paychecks of $2,835.20, beginning in February and ending November 2018.

“A lot of our students work full-time and have full-time financial commitments, but they’re not able to work full-time when they’re doing the clinical component of our track,” said grant co-author Stephanie Broxton. “This helps to offset that.”

Qualifications for stipend

In order to receive the stipend, nursing students must agree do their 540 clinical hours at a Community Service Board (CSB), Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or related site.

Students must also sign a letter of commitment. According to the letter, award preference will be given to students demonstrating a commitment to providing services to rural, underserved and diverse communities.

Various other criteria including academic history, writing ability and experience will also be considered. In addition, students must agree to strongly consider and pursue employment in a CSB or FQHC after graduation.

Pre-approved CSBs:

• Advantage Behavioral Health Systems
• Avita Community Partners
• Albany Area Community Service Board
• Cobb & Douglas Community Services Board
• Community Service Board of Middle Georgia
• Gateway Community Service Board
• Highland Rivers Community Service Board
• McIntosh Trail Community Service Board
• Middle Flint Behavioral Healthcare
• New Horizons Community Service Board
• Pineland Community Service Board
• South Georgia Community Service Board doing business as Behavioral Health Service of South Georgia
• Unison Behavioral Health

Pre-approved FQHCs:

• East Georgia Healthcare Center and its 10 satellite clinics
• J.C. Lewis Primary Healthcare Center (Savannah)
• Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care (Savannah)

Students who fail to graduate, fail to complete the PMHNP program in a normal span of time or fail to complete 540 clinical hours in an approved setting must pay back the stipend. Students who delay their graduation date can request a postponement for up to a year.

For more information and additional qualification criteria, students can contact School of Nursing faculty and staff members Stephanie Broxton, at 912-478-5994, Lee Broxton, at 912-478-3034 or Melissa Garno, at 912-478-5454.